Update on the Great Consensus Cleanup Revival

The discussion revolves around the significant improvement in validation time for a full block within the context of Bitcoin development. The notable enhancement includes a 40x decrease in the worst case scenario for validation times, which has been achieved through the implementation of a straightforward and flexible rule. This achievement marks a substantial step forward in the efficiency of block validation, addressing concerns related to the time it takes to validate a full block.

Further inquiries were made regarding the quantification of this advancement, seeking specific figures to better understand the impact of the 40x decrease. Questions were raised about the actual duration it now takes to validate a full block with this improvement and how much additional time could be saved by implementing another rule that promises a further 7x decrease in validation time. The interest lies in determining whether the additional effort and potential risk associated with introducing another rule are justified by the reduction in validation time.

The dialogue suggests that the perceived value of these improvements depends significantly on the initial validation time. For instance, if the original validation time is reduced from 30 seconds to less than a second (thanks to the 40x decrease), then pursuing further reductions might not be as appealing or necessary. Conversely, if the initial validation time is considerably longer, even small increments in efficiency could be deemed worthwhile. This conversation highlights the ongoing efforts within the Bitcoin development community to enhance system performance while carefully balancing the trade-offs between speed and security.